(AIKMS statement issued on April 19, 2010)

Police and landlords have launched a vicious attack on the poor people of Umri and neighbouring villages over last two days registering false cases on them, posting PAC and attacking their houses and launching a completely false propaganda attack on AIKMS workers.

On 17th April sheep of some poor farmers were grazing on the pond land of Umri to which local landlords Mithilesh and Radhey Shyam took objection and attacked the poor people. Kondhiara thana police arrived and settled the matter, but late at night CO Bara, Janardan Tiwari intervened and forced registration of a completely false FIR against 7 activists under provisions of dacoity and attempt to murder. The complaints given by the poor people have been totally ignored and no FIR has been registered. Yesterday evening a copy of the complaint of the poor people was taken by the CO from village Sadwan and the moment he left the poor people were attacked again by the landlords. Even this incident has been registered as an FIR against the poor.

Yesterday evening Bara MLA Udaybhan Karwaria reached the area and sat on a road block along with a handful of upper caste landlords. He threatened to liquidate the AIKMS leaders in case police did not arrest them. Senior police personel are camping in the area and instead of addressing the grievances of the poor people they are threatening action against anyone who makes a complaint against the landlords.

These landlords of the area have occupied various Gram Sabha, pond lands and lands belonging to the poor in the area and the entire dispute is related to this. Kunj Bihari Shukla is in possession of various pond lands in Dagwan. In Umri Mithilesh and Radhey Shyam have occupied a large plot of Harijan Abadi land on which the poor people have been agitating peacefully. Workers are also agitating for increase in agricultural wages from 5 Kg wheat per day which the landlord object to. Few days ago Mithilesh had misbehaved with a girl and when the poor people objected he had threatened to attack them.

The PAC has been posted in large numbers in Umri and Jari areas and it has attacked and damaged the house of one of the accused poor person, Bhulai.

BSP administration has launched a massive disinformation campaign and attack on the dalits and poor people of the area in order to help the upper caste landord power to assert itself on the poor people. The entire police machinery is acting in tandem with the landlords. Like in Kaushambi, it is acting purely as an agency of the landlords who are involved in severe and medieval forms of exploitation of the poor. A complete police raj is prevailing and there is complete police lawlessness. An atmosphere of fear prevails in the area with the poor left wondering about safety of their rights.